Apparatus for processing folded articles

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to apparatus for handling folded paper sections, such as newspaper sections, which apparatus includes a transport device, an opening device, and a delivery device which are adapted for expeditious stuffing of sections, and the delivery of the stuffed articles. The transport mechanism comprises a supporting table adapted to receive newspaper sections from a supply station or stations, there being a slot extending through and along the said table in the direction of forward motion of the newspapers. A peg is carried by and driven by a continuous chain so as to pass along the slot and transport the newspaper in one direction of its travel and then return to its starting location via a path not in said slot, to repeat its action. Means for opening and holding open the section comprises a rotating sucker wheel adjacent to the supporting surface along which the section is moved, and adjacent to it there is an overhanging shelf adapted to support a free edge of the section so that additional sections can be inserted. The delivery mechanism comprises a delivery wheel having a peripheral surface, a portion of which is an arcuate, resilient and yieldable contact section having a first radius, and the other portion of which is a relieved section of lesser projection in order that the delivery wheel may turn continuously to admit a section beneath it while the relieved section faces the supporting surface and to contact the section with the arcuate contact section in order to move the newspaper section off the table when it has reached a limit of forward motion. The yieldable resilience enables the mechanism to accommodate sections of varying thickness without interim adjustment.

United States te t [72] Inventor lLyle V. Dutro 1060 Carriage House Road, Pasadena, Calif. 91107 [2]] Appl. No. 746,151 [22} Filed July 19, 1968 [45] Patented Dec.14,l971

[54] APPARATUS FQR PROCESSHNG FOLDED ARTII'CLES 13 Claims, 5 Drawing lFigs.

[52] 11.5. C1 270/55 [51] int. Cl. B65111 5/30 [50] Field oiSem-ch 270/53-57;

271/36 [56] Reterencm Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,186,986 1/1940 Nelson 27l/36X 2,570,916 10/1951 Burls 270/57 X 3,162,434 12/1964 Hepp 270/57 3,269,720 8/1966 Schluckebier et a1. 270/57 Primary Examiner-Lawrence Charles Armrney-Angus & Mon

ABSTRACT: This invention relates to apparatus for handling folded paper sections, such as newspaper sections, which apparatus includes a transport device, an opening device, and a delivery device which are adapted for expeditious stuffing of sections, and the delivery of the stuffed articles. The transport mechanism comprises a supporting table adapted to receive newspaper sections from a supply station or stations, there being a slot extending through and along the said table in the direction of forward motion of the newspapers. A peg is carried by and driven by a continuous chain so as to pass along the slot and transport the newspaper in one direction of its travel and then return to its starting location via a path not in said slot, to repeat its action. Means for opening and holding open the section comprises a rotating sucker wheel adjacent to the supporting surface along which the section is moved, and adjacent to it there is an overhanging shelf adapted to support a free edge of the section so that additional sections can be inserted.

The delivery mechanism comprises a delivery wheel having a peripheral surface, a portion of which is an arcuate, resilient and yieldable contact section having a first radius, and the. other portion of which is a relieved section of lesser projection in order that the delivery wheel may turn continuously to admit a section beneath it while the relieved section faces the supporting surface and to contact the section with the arcuate contact section in order to move the newspaper section off the table when it has reached a limit of forward motion. The yieldable resilience enables the mechanism to accommodate sections of varying thickness without interim adjustment.

PATENTED DEC 1 4 :sn

SHEU 1 [IF 2 IILI'I Illlll i. I I

DHH

INVENTOR. [YLE M DUTRO APPARATUS IFOllR WilGtZlESSING ll QLlDlllD Alli'lllCLlllS This invention relates to apparatus for handling folded sections of paper, such as of magazines and newspapers, in particular one in which newspapers can be opened, stuffed and delivered as desired.

There are many commonly encountered manufacturing conditions wherein the stuffing and handling of newspapers becomes a second operationrelative to the press system. Examples are when the number of sections to be inserted exceeds the capacity of the press as to sections, and where colors used in some of the inserts exceed in number or differ in variety from those used in the basic press system.

It is beyond the means of most small newspapers and job shops to afford the complicated and expensive devices which have heretofore been invented for the accomplishment of secondary functions, such as stuffing of folded paper sections. Accordingly, it is still conventional practice for much of this work to be done by hand which results in pricing out of the market much work which could otherwise be available to the shop. It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and rugged device, compact in construction, economical of space requirements, and power, which makes available to the small publisher a wide range of jobs which have heretofore been denied to him.

A transport device according to this invention includes a supporting table with a supporting surface having a direction of forward motion. A curb is placed adjacent to this supporting surface and a folded section rests against it as it is propelled along the said surface. The surface has a slot extending therethrough in the direction of forward motion, and a continuous chain is disposed beneath the surface which has a plurality of reaches, one of which reaches extends parallel to the slot. A peg is carried by the chain, and when it progresses along the parallel reach, it projects through the slot to engage the folded section and shove it along. Adjacent to the supporting table there is means for opening and holding open the section, this means preferably comprising a rotatable sucker wheel adapted periodically to engage the edge of a folded section and lift it onto the means for holding open the section which preferably comprises a shelf overlaying a portion of the supporting surface so as to support the opened fold as the section is shoved along in order that the additional sections may be inserted into the opened fold.

A delivery device according to this invention comprises a delivery wheel whose axis of rotation is parallel to the direction of forward motion. It operates continuously, having an arcuate resilient and deformable contact section and a relieved section, the relieved section being presented to the supporting table during the time the newspaper section passes under the delivery wheel and until it reaches a limit of motion. When it reaches the limit, the contact section engages the stuffed section and propels it into a creel device which delivers the assembled article.

The above and other features of this invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken at line 2-2 of HG. ll;

FIG. 3 is a side view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken at line ilt ofFIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken at line 5-5 of MG. ll.

In FIG. ll, there is shown a transport mechanism Ill) having a support table ill with a supporting surface 12. Folded paper sections 13, such as newspaper sections, when fed onto this table, will be shoved in a direction M of forward motion. The table has a pair of slots 15, in which are identical, and which extend in the direction of forward motion. The supporting surface 12 preferably slants relative to the horizontal, and a curb 17 provides a rest for the section as it is shoved along the supporting surface.

Beneath the supporting surface there are two continuous chains I8, 19. Because the systems associated with the chains are identical, only the system associated with chain 1% will be described in detail. This chain has a pair of reaches 20, 2f, reach 241 being parallel to the slot and lying beneath it. As it happens, reach 21 is also parallel to the slot, but it does not lie beneath it. instead, as can be seen in FlG. 2, the plane of the chain is horizontal, and the plane of the surface is at an angle to that of the chain, so that reach 211 is farther beneath the surface than is reach fill.

A plurality of pegs 22 is attached to the chain and the pegs project upwardly from the chain.

As can best be seen in H6. 2, while in reach 10, the pegs will project through the slot and above the surface so they can engage a section thereon. While in reach 21, they stand beneath the supporting surface and cannot engage the section. The slots terminate in arcuate portions 23, 24 which, when viewed in plan view, correspond with the path of the chain to the extent necessary for the pegs to clear the supporting table. In this way the pegs retract from the supporting surface without changing their angular relationship to it, and without having to pass through complicate-d paths. There is no pinching of the paper section, and the peg's path assures that the paper section will be moved beyond the end of reach 21 The chains are so driven that the pegs will move in the same direction and will be abreast of each other at the time, so the paper section will not become cocked.

Means 30 for opening a folded paper section is best shown in lFlGS. l, 2, ti, and 3. This means comprises a rotary sucker wheel 3i which is driven by a drive 32 so that its axis is substantially parallel to the supporting surface. The sucker wheel has peripheral perforations 33 connected through a face plate 3A to a vacuum pump 35. The face plate and ports 36 in the wheel act as timing means for timing the exertion of vacuum at the peripheral perforations. If desired, additional timer means may be inserted in vacuum line 37 to cause this event to occur at a frequency less than that of the rotation of the wheel in order that a smaller wheel may be used, which will reduce the bulk of the machinery.

It is the purpose of the sucker wheel periodically to engage the edge of an advancing newspaper section while suction is applied to perforations 33, thereby causing the edge to adhere to the periphery of the wheel and to be lifted onto means 40 for holding a section open. After being lifted up by the turning wheel (while the section continues to move along), the suction is released and the edge falls free.

Means 40 comprises a shelf all which partially overhangs the supporting surface and extends in the direction of forward motion. A guard d2 overhangs the shelf and is spaced therefrom. As can best be seen in FIG. 2, the edge lifted by the wheel will be lifted onto the shelf at which time the wheel releases the edge as aforesaid, and then the upper edge of the fold will coast along the top of the shelf while the lower edge of the fold will coast along the supporting surface. This holds the section open for insertion of subsequent sections.

Supply means 43, db, t7 are supplied at these three subsequent sections. Stacks 4%, d3, Ell of newspaper sections to be operated upon are shown in bins 511,. 52, 53. Supply means a5 is shown in further detail in H6. 2. it: will be seen that stack as is stacked with the closed edges M of the folds against a rest 55 by means which need not be described in connection with this invention, but which are fully set forth in applicant's U. 8. Pat. hlo. 3384 366, issued May 21., I968.

The end one of the sections is lifted past deflector f6 and engaged between wheels 37, 5b and a drive belt 39. By this means the sections are shoved one by one onto the supporting surface, where they slide down against the curb and await the arrival of the next peg. This supply means periodically supplies a section, and its supply action is timed with the pegs so that a peg arrives shortly after the section reaches the curb. The section is then continuously, nonintermittently, shoved past the remaining supply stations, and the first supply section will supply another section in time to be engaged by the next succeeding peg.

Supply means 46 and A7 are identical to means 35, and they are timed relative to the pegs in such a manner that the respective sections which they supply reach the region beneath the shelf and on top of the lower fold about the time a peg brings the first folded paper section adjacent to it. It will thereby be seen that one or more sections may readily be inserted into the opened first section. Furthermore, additional opening means (sucker wheels) and shelves may be supplied along the supporting tableshould it be desired to make further openings at different folds.

After the sections have been stuffed as desired, the assembled article is shoved onto the delivery device 60 by the respective peg. Conveniently there is a position stop 61 in case the table is slick and the paper speed is high.

The delivery device includes a delivery region 62 which is a continuation of the support surface. Overhanging this region is a plurality of delivery wheels 63, 64, 65 which are all identical and are driven together, so that only wheel 65 will be described in detail. This wheel is best shown in FIG. 3 where it will be seen that it is mounted to an arm 66 which is inherently weighted toward the table, there being an adjustment stop 67 fixed to supporting structure in order that the nominal position of the am may be readily adjusted by screw 67a which raises or lowers the delivery wheel by turning it around the pivot 68 of the arm. lf preferred, the wheels may simply be joumaled directly to the structure without the adjustment capability of the arm.

The delivery wheel itself has an arcuate contact section 65a which may be of rubber or other frictional, resilient and deformable material and which has a first radius 70 when undistorted. The remainder of the wheel has a relieved peripheral section 71 wherein the lateral projection of the wheel is less than that of the contact section. The wheel is driven in such a manner that the relieved section faces the support surface while the newspaper section is moved until it strikes the positive stop. The contact section arrives after that time. The arcuate contact section may conveniently be made of a resilient, deformable material such as sponge rubber, or of solid rubber in ribbed patterns, for example. With such a construction, assembled articles of widely varying thicknesses can be accommodated, even if the wheels are journaled in fixed location in the framework of the machine, instead of on a pivoted arc. Marked simplification of structure results from this feature of resilience.

A gate 72 fonning a continuation of the curb supports the folded edge of the assembled sections. A powered drive wheel 73 is ineffective in moving the section until the contact section engages and pinches the assembled articles against it, at which time they together overcome the gate, the gate hinging downwardly, and the assembly is moved downwardly and to the left in FIG. 3, until it falls into a standard creel mechanism 75 which carries the section down to a delivery belt 76, which in turn makes side delivery of the sections from the creel.

The power system of the device is derived from motor 80 and, in the conventional arrangement, will drive a chain or shaft structure which simultaneously drives all driven elements. This connection is shown by dashed line 8! and chain 82. It therefore follows that the speed of the device is that of the motor and such other gear reductions and arrangements as may be made. The device is entirely timed together, the supply means being timed relative to the various pegs to deliver folded sections at or just before the time of arrival of the respective pegs in the respective supply means, the valving in the opening means being arranged so as to exert vacuum just as the leading edge of the section arrives at the wheel, and releasing the vacuum just after this leading edge has been delivered atop the shelf, and the delivery wheels being so timed as to present their contact sections to the newspaper only after it has reached its positive stop and is prepared for side delivery.

The operation of the device should be evident from the foregoing. Relative to a first section to be delivered from bin 51, the supply means delivers the first section to the support surface and it rests against the curb prior to the arrival of the pegs. The pegs then engage the section and shove it along, the

opening means being so timed as to engage the leading edge thereof and lift it atop the shelf. Supply means 46 is so timed as to release a member from bin 52 just at the time that it will enter the section and rest against its fold when the peg arrives at its edge. The same is true of a section delivered from bin 53. Thereafter, the pegs continue to shove the device until they either strike the stop or lose their motion by virtue of the pegs receding beneath the surface of the supporting table, the pegs then returning on the lower reach until they again come through the slot and shove a subsequent section along.

It will be noted that the pegs do not change their angular relationship to the vertical as they change their path, nor do they change their elevation. The pegs are therefore accommodated by a simple chain structure which can lie in a single plane, and form a part of an elegantly simple construction.

it will be seen that this device is readily timed internally, is composed of simple, compact and rugged mechanism, is small in compass, may be adapted to sections of different size relative to themselves and relative to the size of the machine in general, and that all timing may be related solely to the pegs themselves.

This invention is not to be limited by the embodiments shown in the drawings and described in the description, which are given by way of example and not of limitation, but only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A transport device for folded paper sections comprising: a support table having a support surface and a curb extending along the support surface in a direction of forward motion, the support table sloping toward the curb relative to the horizontal, and a slot opening through said surface extending in said direction; a continuous chain having a pair of parallel reaches lying in a horizontal plane and guided around two pivots whose axes are fixed and vertical, at least one of which reaches is parallel to the said direction; a peg attached to said chain so proportioned and arranged as to project through said slot and beyond the said surface when in said last-named parallel reach, and to move out of said slot and laterally away from said surface in approaching said other reach, and to proceed in said other reach beneath the support surface, whereby a folded section will be moved along the support table by said peg, said peg being substantially vertical and never changing its orientation relative to the horizontal.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the slot includes an arcuate portion at each of its ends which in plan view substantially follows the chain path from the said parallel reach until the peg passes beneath the supporting table.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which two of said chains are provided, the pegs moving abreast when in the first reach.

4. A folded paper section stuffing mechanism comprising: a transport mechanism comprising a support table having a support surface and a curb extending along the support surface in a direction of forward motion, the support table sloping toward the curb relative to the horizontal, and a slot opening through said surface extending in said direction; a continuous chain having a pair of parallel reaches lying in a horizontal plane and guided around two pivots whose axes are fixed and vertical, at least one of which reaches is parallel to the said direction; a peg attached to said chain so proportioned and arranged as to project through said slot and beyond the said surface when in said last-named parallel reach, and to move out of said slot and laterally away from said surface in approaching said other reach, and to proceed in said other reach beneath the support surface, whereby a folded section will be moved along the support table by said peg, said peg being substantially vertical and never changing its orientation relation to the horizontal; a plurality of supply means extending and spaced apart along the said direction and so disposed as periodically to supply folded sections to and upon the supporting surface so as to be engaged by said peg; and means for opening and means for holding open one of said sections to receive another as said one moves past one of said supply means.

5. Apparatus according to claim ii in which two of said chains are provided, the pegs moving abreast when in the first reach.

6. Apparatus according to claim i in which the means for opening said section comprises an engagement device to engage and lift a free edge of the folded section as it is moved along the surface, and in which the means for holding open the section comprises a shelf overhanging a portion of the surface adjacent to the surface and to the means for opening the section, thereby to receive the engaged edge therefrom.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the engagement means comprises a sucker wheel adapted periodically to exert suction at its periphery in order to engage said edge, the axis of rotation of the wheel being other than normal to the said surface, whereby to lift the edge away from the surface when engaged thereto, the peripheral surface speed of the sucker wheel being substantially equal to the forward speed of the peg.

8. Apparatus according to claim Al in which a delivery device is placed adjacent to the supporting surface to receive the sections therefrom, the delivery device and chain being so timed as to deliver a section prior to the arrival of a subsequent section.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the delivery device comprises a delivery wheel having an axis of rotation parallel to said direction, a periphery having an arcuate resilient and deformable contact section with a first radius, and an adjacent relieved section of lesser radial projection, the wheel being continuously driven and timed relative to the delivered sections as to present the relieved section toward the table while the sections slide under it and stop, and then present the contact section toward the table to engage and move the section laterally away from the surface prior to arrival of the next section.

llll Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the delivery wheel delivers the sections to a creel.

ill. Apparatus according to claim h in which the means for opening said section comprises an engagement device to engage and lift a free edge of the newspaper section as it is moved along the surface and in which the means for holding open the section comprises a shelf overhanging a portion of the surface adjacent to the surface and to the means for opening the section, thereby to receive the engaged edge therefrom.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the means for opening said section comprises a sucker wheel adapted periodically to exert suction at its periphery in order to engage said edge, the axis of rotation of the wheel being other than normal to the said surface, whereby to lift the edge away from the surface when engaged thereto, the peripheral surface speed of the sucker wheel being substantially equal to the forward speed of the peg, thereby to engage and lift a free edge of the newspaper section as it is moved along the surface, and in which the means for holding open the section comprises a shelf overhanging a portion of the surface adjacent to the surface and to the means for opening the section, thereby to receive the engaged edge therefrom.

113. A delivery device according to claim H2 in which the delivery wheel delivers the sections to a creel. 

1. A transport device for folded paper sections comprising: a support table having a support surface and a curb extending along the support surface in a direction of forward motion, the support table sloping toward the curb relative to the horizontal, and a slot opening through said surface extending in said direction; a continuous chain having a pair of parallel reaches lying in a horizontal plane and guided around two pivots whose axes are fixed and vertical, at least one of which reaches is parallel to the said direction; a peg attached to said chain so proportioned and arranged as to project through said slot and beyond the said surface when in said last-named parallel reach, and to move out of said slot and laterally away from said surface in approaching said other reach, and to proceed in said other reach beneath the support surface, whereby a folded section will be moved along the support table by said peg, said peg being substantially vertical and never changing its orientation relative to the horizontal.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the slot includes an arcuate portion at each of its ends which in plan view substantially follows the chain path from the said parallel reach until the peg passes beneath the supporting table.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which two of said chains are provided, the pegs moving abreast when in the first reach.
 4. A folded paper section stuffing mechanism comprising: a transport mechanism comprising a support table having a support surface and a curb extending along the support surface in a direction of forward motion, the support table sloping toward the curb relative to the horizontal, and a slot opening through said surface extending in said direction; a continuous chain having a pair of parallel reaches lying in a horizontal plane and guided around two pivots whose axes are fixed and vertical, at least one of which reaches is parallel to the said direction; a peg attached to said chain so proportioned and arranged as to project through said slot and beyond the said surface when in said last-named parallel reach, and to move out of said slot and laterally away from said surface in approaching said other reach, and to proceed in said other reach beneath the support surface, whereby a folded section will be moved along the support table by said peg, said peg being substantially vertical and never changing its orientation relation to the horizontal; a plurality of supply means extending and spaced apart along the said direction and so disposed as periodically to supply folded sections to and upon the supporting surface so as to be engaged by said peg; and means for opening and means for holding open one of said sections to receive another as said one moves past one of said supply means.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which two of said chains are provided, the pegs moving abreast when in the first reach.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the means for opening said section comprises an engagement device to engage and lift a free edge of the folded section as it is moved along the surface, and in which the means for holding open the section comprises a shelf overhanging a portion of the surface adjacent to the surface and to the means for opening the section, thereby to receive the engaged edge therefrom.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the engagement means comprises a sucker wheel adapted periodically to exert suction at its periphery in oRder to engage said edge, the axis of rotation of the wheel being other than normal to the said surface, whereby to lift the edge away from the surface when engaged thereto, the peripheral surface speed of the sucker wheel being substantially equal to the forward speed of the peg.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which a delivery device is placed adjacent to the supporting surface to receive the sections therefrom, the delivery device and chain being so timed as to deliver a section prior to the arrival of a subsequent section.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the delivery device comprises a delivery wheel having an axis of rotation parallel to said direction, a periphery having an arcuate resilient and deformable contact section with a first radius, and an adjacent relieved section of lesser radial projection, the wheel being continuously driven and timed relative to the delivered sections as to present the relieved section toward the table while the sections slide under it and stop, and then present the contact section toward the table to engage and move the section laterally away from the surface prior to arrival of the next section.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the delivery wheel delivers the sections to a creel.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the means for opening said section comprises an engagement device to engage and lift a free edge of the newspaper section as it is moved along the surface and in which the means for holding open the section comprises a shelf overhanging a portion of the surface adjacent to the surface and to the means for opening the section, thereby to receive the engaged edge therefrom.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the means for opening said section comprises a sucker wheel adapted periodically to exert suction at its periphery in order to engage said edge, the axis of rotation of the wheel being other than normal to the said surface, whereby to lift the edge away from the surface when engaged thereto, the peripheral surface speed of the sucker wheel being substantially equal to the forward speed of the peg, thereby to engage and lift a free edge of the newspaper section as it is moved along the surface, and in which the means for holding open the section comprises a shelf overhanging a portion of the surface adjacent to the surface and to the means for opening the section, thereby to receive the engaged edge therefrom.
 13. A delivery device according to claim 12 in which the delivery wheel delivers the sections to a creel. 